U.S. patent number 6,271,765 [Application Number 09/088,933] was granted by the patent office on 2001-08-07 for passive garage door opener.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Lear Automotive Dearborn, Inc.. Invention is credited to Joseph D. King, Ozer M. N. Teitelbaum.
United States Patent |
6,271,765 |
King , et al. |
August 7, 2001 |
Passive garage door opener
Abstract
A passive garage door opener system includes a sensor for
determining the position of the vehicle relative to the receiver.
When the vehicle is within a predetermined area near the receiver,
the transmitter sends the signal to open the garage door. Other
conditions of the vehicle, such as speed and heading, may also be
monitored to determine when and whether to send the signal.
Inventors: |
King; Joseph D. (Ann Arbor,
MI), Teitelbaum; Ozer M. N. (Farmington, MI) |
Assignee: |
Lear Automotive Dearborn, Inc.
(Southfield, MI)
|
Family
ID: |
22214371 |
Appl.
No.: |
09/088,933 |
Filed: |
June 2, 1998 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
340/12.22;
340/10.1; 340/435; 340/436; 340/441; 340/8.1; 340/903; 342/42;
342/44; 701/118 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G01C
21/26 (20130101); G07C 9/00896 (20130101); E05Y
2900/106 (20130101); G07C 2209/63 (20130101); G07C
2009/00928 (20130101); E05Y 2800/00 (20130101); E05F
15/76 (20150115) |
Current International
Class: |
G01C
21/26 (20060101); G01S 5/14 (20060101); G07C
9/00 (20060101); G08C 019/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;340/825.69,825.49,825.31,10.1,436,903,988 ;342/76,359,42,44,357.07
;701/117,301,118,213,214 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
9-136660 |
|
Sep 1997 |
|
JP |
|
WO 92/16907 |
|
Oct 1992 |
|
WO |
|
Primary Examiner: Zimmerman; Brian
Assistant Examiner: Dalencourt; Yves
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Niro, Scavone, Haller &
Niro
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A wireless transmitter system for a vehicle that optionally
travels along a route, there existing at a location of the route a
control system for selectively permitting and restricting passage
of the vehicle traveling along the route past the location on the
route, the control system normally restricting the vehicle from
proceeding past the location, said wireless transmitter system
comprising:
a transmitter for selectively transmitting a wireless signal, the
control system being responsive to receipt of the wireless signal
to permit passage of the vehicle past the location; and
a sensor for determining a position of said transmitter relative to
the location,
wherein said transmitter automatically transmits the wireless
signal to the control system based upon the position determined by
said sensor.
2. The wireless transmitter system of claim 1, wherein the control
system is a garage door opener that opens a garage door in response
to receipt of the wireless signal.
3. The wireless transmitter system of claim 1, wherein the control
system is a gate opener that opens a gate in response to receipt of
the wireless signal.
4. The wireless transmitter system of claim 1, wherein said sensor
determines the position relative to earth.
5. The wireless transmitter system of claim 4, wherein said sensor
includes a GPS receiver.
6. The wireless transmitter system of claim 4, wherein said sensor
includes a dead reckoning system.
7. The wireless transmitter system of claim 4, further comprising a
memory for storing the location, wherein the location is that of
the control system relative to earth and said transmitter sends the
wireless signal based upon a comparison of the location stored in
said memory and the position determined by said sensor.
8. The wireless transmit system of claim 7, wherein the control
system is a garage door opener that opens a garage door in response
to receipt of the wireless signal.
9. The wireless transmitter system of claim 7, wherein the control
system is a gate opener that opens a gate in response to receipt of
the wireless signal.
10. The wireless transmitter system of claim 1, wherein said
transmitter automatically transmits the wireless signal further
based upon a speed of the vehicle.
11. A wireless transmission method for a vehicle that optionally
travels along a route, there existing at a location of the route a
control system for selectively permits and restricts passage of the
vehicle traveling along the route past a location on the route, the
control system normally restricting the vehicle from proceeding
past the location, said method comprising the steps of:
selectively transmitting a wireless signal from a transmitter, the
control system being responsive to receipt of the wireless signal
to permit passage of the vehicle past the location; and
determining a position of said transmitter relative to the
location,
wherein said transmitting step automatically transmits the wireless
signal to the control system based upon the position determined in
said determining step.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein said transmitting step
automatically transmits the wireless signal further based upon a
speed of the vehicle.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present inventions relates generally to a wireless transmitter
for a vehicle and more particularly to a passive garage door opener
for use in a vehicle.
The majority of new homes built are constructed with garage door
openers with remote controllers using RF wireless technology.
Further, many existing homes have been upgraded with garage door
openers also using RF wireless technology for accomplishing the
remote function. A current trend in the automotive market is to
provide new vehicles with factory-installed universal garage door
opener transmitters. Several garage door opener transmitters have
been designed to produce a passive garage door opener system that
does not require the user to manually actuate the transmitter.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a passive garage door opener system
in which the transmitter sends a signal to the garage door opener
receiver based upon the position of the transmitter. Preferably,
the garage door is in a position known relative to earth and the
position of the transmitter (vehicle) is determined relative to
earth by a sensor. From this, the relative distance and position of
the vehicle relative to the garage door can be determined. The
transmitter then sends a signal to the receiver based upon the
distance and/or position of the vehicle relative to the garage
door.
Preferably, the sensor comprises a navigation system or its
components, such as a GPS receiver, dead reckoning system, etc.
Preferably, other factors, such as vehicle speed and heading, are
also monitored to determine whether and when to send the signal
from the transmitter. With vehicle heading and speed information,
the garage door opener system can also determine whether the door
should be opened (when the vehicle is heading toward the door) or
closed (when the vehicle is heading away from the door).
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a schematic of the door opening transmitter system of the
present invention; and
FIG. 2 illustrates a door opening system including the garage door
opener transmitter system of FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
A door opening transmitter system 20 according to the present
invention is shown schematically in FIG. 1. The transmitter system
20 includes a door opener transmitter 22, such as an RF, infrared,
microwave, or other known transmitter. In the preferred embodiment,
the transmitter 22 selectively generates any one of a plurality
codes which may be encrypted or rolled according to known
techniques. The transmitter 22 transmits the signal via an antenna
system 24, which is appropriate to the technology of the
transmitter 22.
A processor 26 receives inputs from a user interface 28 and a
position and velocity sensor 30 and selectively causes the
transmitter 22 to generate each of the three signals. The sensor 30
may comprise a vehicle navigation system or one or more components
of a vehicle navigation system, such as a GPS receiver, compass,
dead reckoning system, vehicle speed sensors, map matching
algorithms, etc. According to known techniques, and utilizing
commercially available hardware and software, the sensor 30
determines the position of the transmitter system 20 relative to
earth, as well as its velocity, including speed and heading. This
information is sent to the processor 26 for analysis, as will be
described in more detail below.
The user interface 28 includes a plurality of user input devices
32A-C, 34, such as switches or buttons. Information regarding
activation of the user input devices 32A-C, 34 is sent to the
processor 26 for analysis as will be described below. The processor
26 includes storage 27A-C, for storing a plurality of locations
indicated by the sensor 30 and associated with the user input
devices 32A-C, respectively, as will be described below. The
processor 26 includes software for performing the functions
described herein; however, it is also recognized that these
functions could be provided by hardware, such as combination logic,
state machines, etc.
FIG. 2 illustrates a vehicle 40 in which the transmitter system 20
is installed for operation with a plurality of receivers 42A-C,
installed at various locations on an estate, as shown. A first
receiver 42A is associated with a first gate 44A, such as a first
estate gate, which is selectively opened and closed by a motor 46A
as controlled by the receiver 42A. The second receiver 42B is
associated with a second gate 44B, such as a garage door, which is
opened and closed by a motor 46B as selectively operated by the
receiver 42B. The third receiver 42C is associated with a third
gate 44C, such as another estate gate which is opened and closed by
a motor 46C as selectively operated by the receiver 42C.
As shown in FIG. 2, the first gate 44A selectively permits and
restricts access to a driveway 48 from a first street 50. The third
gate 44C selectively permits and restricts access to the driveway
48 from a second street 52. The second gate 44B selectively permits
and restricts access to a garage 54 adjacent the driveway 48.
In operation, the transmitter system 20 transmits a signal
associated with one of the receivers 42A-C, based upon the
position, heading and/or speed of the vehicle 40 as determined by
the sensor 30 (FIG. 1). Generally, the positions of the gates 44A-C
are stored in the storage 27A-C (FIG. 1) of the transmitter system
20 relative to earth. When the transmitter system 20 determines
that its position relative to earth is within a predetermined
distance (such as one hundred feet) of one of the gates 44A-C, it
transmits an appropriate signal to the corresponding receiver
42A-C, respectively.
Preferably, the heading of the vehicle 40 as determined by the
sensor 30 is also used to determine whether to transmit the signal
and what signal to transmit. For example, if the vehicle 40 is
traveling toward one of the gates 44A-C, that gate 44A-C should be
opened. If the vehicle 40 is traveling away from one of the gates
44A-C, the gate 44A-C should be closed, even if within the
predetermined distance. Vehicle speed could also be used as a
condition to opening the second gate 44B; e.g., when the vehicle is
in the driveway 48 and the ignition is first turned on, but not
moving, the second gate 44B is not opened, even though the vehicle
40 is within the predetermined distance. Further, since the
transmitter system 20 would know when it is inside the garage 54,
the transmitter system 20 could ensure that the second gate 44B
(the garage door) is open if the engine is running.
Since the position of the transmitter 20 and the receivers 42A-C,
will be known relative to earth, the relative direction of the
receiver 42A-C from the transmitter 20 can also be determined. With
this information, the antenna system 24 could be utilized to focus
and direct the transmitted signal in the relative direction of the
appropriate receiver 42A-C, thus, increasing range and reducing
power requirement. This feature is described in more detail in U.S.
Pat. No. 5,990,828, filed concurrently herewith, the assignee of
which is the assignee of the present invention.
In order to store the locations of the gates 44A-C, the vehicle 40
is first positioned at or adjacent the gate 44A-C. The transmitter
system 20 is then placed in learning mode, such as by activating
user input device 34 and one of the switches 32A-C, as appropriate
(FIG. 1). The location of the transmitter system 20 (and the
vehicle 40) at the time the learning mode button 34 is pressed is
stored in the storage 27A-C corresponding to the associated gate
44A-C and receiver 42A-C.
The transmitter system 20 and the receivers 42A-C preferably
include a system for ensuring that the corresponding gates 44A-C
are either closed or open. In other words, when the vehicle 40 is
heading towards a gate 44A-C which is already open, the transmitter
system 20 and receivers 42A-C should ensure that the gate is not
then closed by the transmitter system 20. One way of accomplishing
this feature is to provide an additional transmitter (not shown)
located on each receiver 42A-C which would transmit to an
additional receiver (not shown) on the vehicle 40 information
indicating the current position of the associated gate 44A-C. The
processor 26 and the transmitter system 20 would receive this
information to ensure that the gate 44A-C is in the proper
position. Another way of accomplishing this feature is for the
transmitter 22 to transmit separate open and close signals for each
of the receivers 42A-C. If the processor 26 determines that a gate
42A-C should be open, the transmitter 22 transmits an "open" signal
indicating to the receiver 42A-C that its corresponding gate 44A-C
should be open. The appropriate receiver 42A-C then evaluates
whether its associated gate 44A-C is in the proper position. If it
is, the receiver 42A does nothing. If it is not in the proper
position, the receiver 42A-C activates the associated motor 46A-C
to change the position of the associated gate 44A-C. Many prior
systems for accomplishing passive door opening have addressed this
function in other ways, many of which could be used in combination
with the present invention. Preferably, the user-input devices 32
could also be activated manually to open and close the gates
44A-C.
In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes and
jurisprudence, exemplary configurations described above are
considered to represent a preferred embodiment of the invention.
However, it should be noted that the invention can be practiced
otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described without
departing from its spirit or scope.
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